Ashore, Logan and Rayna ventured into the forest, hoping to find some form of civilization. After what felt like hours of walking, Rayna collapsed next to a tree, exhaustion etched across her face.
“Lo, it seems like we’re lost. We’ve been walking for hours and haven’t even found a path. The sun’s starting to go down,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration.
Her stomach growled loudly, echoing in the quiet forest.
“That... and I’m starting to get pretty hungry...”
A long silence fell between them. Rayna turned her gaze to Logan, who was on his knees, head hanging low.
“I have a question... for God...” he muttered darkly.
Rayna tensed, bracing herself. Was Logan losing it?
“Lo, everything’s gonna be al—”
“WHY?!” Logan’s sudden yell reverberated through the forest, shaking the trees.
Rayna placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression softening with compassion. “Logan...”
He lifted his face to meet her gaze. “Yes?”
“Look who’s being a worthless little summer ant,” she teased gently.
A single tear rolled down Logan’s cheek. His expression turned blank as he stared up at the sky.
“Welp, you’re gone,” he muttered.
Rayna retreated to her tree, leaving Logan on his knees, lost in thought. In that moment, he took in the serene beauty of the forest—the sunlight filtering through the leaves, the gentle breeze brushing his face. The tranquility was brief.
Rayna’s stomach let out another thunderous growl, shattering the peace.
“Lo,” she called, her voice tinged with embarrassment.
Logan, still in the same position, turned his eyes toward her. “Yeah?”
Twiddling her fingers nervously, Rayna asked, “Remember a couple of years ago when I argued about what to do if you were stuck in the woods hungry?”
“Yeah,” Logan replied, his tone flat.
Rayna’s gaze drifted upward to the vibrant green leaves above. Her mouth watered.
“Those leaves look kind of tasty,” she muttered.
Logan blinked, puzzled. “Rayna...”
Her impatience boiled over. “Logan... I’m hungry.”
“Rayna, please, just be quiet,” he sighed.
“Okay,” she muttered, dejectedly leaning back against the tree. Her eyes stayed fixed on the leaves, her imagination running wild with thoughts of food.
Minutes passed in silence before her stomach erupted again. She scooted closer to Logan, tugging at his shirt.
“Logan...”
“Go to sleep,” he insisted.
“Okay...”
Logan found a tree nearby and quickly drifted off to sleep. His dreams were filled with visions of cities and magical wonders. But his rest was short-lived, interrupted by the crackling of wood and the bubbling of water.
“Rayna?” he called groggily, opening his eyes to see her with a boiling pot.
“Rayna, where did you find a pot?”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t know. I got bored and went exploring. I heard a metallic bang and found this random pot stuck in a tree. It must’ve fallen from the sky or something. There’s this cool orange crystal thingy at the bottom that heats the pot on its own—must be this world’s form of magic.”
Logan blinked, trying to process her explanation. “Okay, but what are you cooking?”
Rayna hesitated, her cheeks flushing as she stirred the pot. “Nothing. Just... stuff.”
Logan walked over and peered into the pot, his curiosity piqued.
“Rayna... are those leaves?”
“Yes!” she snapped defensively.
“Why are you boiling leaves?”
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“Because I needed something to chew on!”
Logan burst into laughter, falling to the ground. “Rayna, leaves won’t satisfy your hunger!”
“I know!” she shot back, poking the soggy mess with a stick.
“Then why?”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Because of the flavor, Logan! We’ve been drinking nothing but monster-infused water. I wanted soup... I just wanted soup!”
Rayna collapsed onto the ground, sobbing as her stomach rumbled.
“Damn, Rayna, you must be starving,” Logan said, wiping his eyes from laughter.
“Yeah...” she whispered.
Suddenly, the ground trembled with a deep, rhythmic thudding. The trees shook violently, and a brilliant blue blast of water tore through the forest, obliterating Rayna’s pot and scattering the leaves.
“NOOO!” she cried, falling to her knees.
Logan scrambled to her side. “Rayna, are you okay!?”
“My... my soup...” she whimpered.
Another roar echoed through the forest as a massive figure emerged—a dark frog-like creature with a single, sword-like horn towering above the trees.
“Rayna, we need to go!” Logan shouted.
But Rayna didn’t budge. Drawing her sword, she turned to face the beast.
“No. I can’t run. Not when that creature had the audacity to spill my soup. I won’t stand for it,” she declared, pointing dramatically at the soggy ground.
“Rayna, this isn’t the time for—”
She silenced him with a finger to his lips. “I’m hungry.”
Logan groaned. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“Nah. I’d win,” Rayna retorted with a smirk, readying her stance.
With fearless determination, she charged the massive frog beast, weaving through its blasts with uncanny agility. Reaching its thick, slimy leg, she pulled back her arm, readying a powerful punch. As her fist connected, it sank into the creature’s rubbery flesh—only to send her hurtling backward from the sheer recoil.
Sliding across the ground, she grit her teeth and scrambled to her feet. Drawing her sword, she bolted toward the beast once more, fire in her eyes. Taking a striking stance, she swung with all her might at the creature’s leg.
The blade struck its skin with a sharp clang, only to bounce off harmlessly. The force of the impact sent the sword flying from her grip, leaving her stunned and vulnerable.
“Ahhh, dang it,” Rayna muttered as the enormous frog-like creature let out a guttural roar, raising one of its massive, slimy legs to crush her.
She rolled away just in time, her heart pounding in her chest. “Logan, RUN!”
Rayna bolted toward their campsite, the beast bounding after her with thunderous hops. Trees splintered and toppled in its wake as its long, clawed tongue lashed out, narrowly missing her with each strike.
“Logan, where are you?!” she screamed, panic creeping into her voice.
Suddenly, Logan burst from the bushes, grabbing her arm with urgency. “This way!”
Together, they sprinted through the dense forest, weaving between trees as the frog-beast’s croaks reverberated behind them. They reached a massive cave entrance, it's dark maw gaping like a safe haven—or a trap.
“IN THERE!” Logan shouted, dragging her toward it.
“I’m not going in there!” Rayna protested, digging her heels into the dirt.
Without hesitation, Logan shoved her inside. A gust of hot air rushed past them, carrying with it the heavy scent of earth and something metallic. From the shadows emerged a colossal bear-like creature, its fur streaked with fiery red markings that pulsed like embers. Its frilled nose glowed ominously, radiating intense heat.
The bear unleashed a searing blast of fire at the approaching frog monster, the flames illuminating the forest in a hellish glow. The frog retaliated with a powerful stream of water, creating a violent hiss as steam erupted where the two attacks collided.
Rayna and Logan huddled deeper into the cave, their breaths shallow as they watched the two titans clash just outside. The ground trembled beneath them, and the night air was alive with the sound of roars, crashes, and explosions of elemental fury.
As the moon climbed higher in the sky, its silver light bathed the entrance to the cave, casting long shadows that flickered and danced against the stone walls. Logan and Rayna lay deep within the caverns, the distant echoes of battle slowly fading into the night. Logan, still rattled by the intensity of their escape, leaned against the cool stone, staring blankly at the cavern’s ceiling. His thoughts swirled, lost in the chaos of what had just transpired.
Rayna, unable to sit still, her heart still racing from the adrenaline of their ordeal, suddenly burst out, "THAT WAS A HELL OF A DAY, RIGHT LOGAN?!" She slapped Logan on the back with a grin, though her eyes still carried the wild spark of their recent encounter.
Logan, too tired to react with much enthusiasm, just nodded and muttered, “Yeah… a hell of a day.” He got up, found a corner away from the cave entrance, and pulled his jacket tightly around himself. “We should sleep. Who knows when we’ll get another chance like this,” he said, settling onto the stone floor and closing his eyes.
Rayna watched him drift off, her fidgeting hands betraying the energy still coursing through her. Sitting still wasn’t an option. The cave felt suffocating, and the night outside called to her. Without a second thought, she wandered out into the moonlit forest, her steps growing faster as awe overtook her.
The aftermath of the battle lay around her, but it wasn’t the destruction that caught her eye—it was the strange beauty of this world. Mushrooms as tall as trees stretched toward the sky, their luminescent caps glowing faintly in the darkness. Massive insects, their bodies glittering like polished stone, flitted through the air, leaving trails of light in their wake. A beetle the size of a dog scuttled past her, its shell gleaming with iridescent colors. Rayna’s heart swelled with excitement, her pulse quickening to match her pace.
“This place… it’s incredible!” she whispered, her voice barely audible as she jogged through the towering flora, her eyes wide with wonder. Every step brought new marvels—things she’d never imagined before.
Her breath caught when she found herself back at the site where everything had begun. The remnants of their first encounter with this world lay scattered—most notably, the splattered remnants of her soup, its mess still staining the forest floor. Amidst the debris, something glinted faintly under the moon’s glow.
Bending down, Rayna spotted a fragment of the crystal from her pot, still faintly glowing. She hesitated before picking it up. It was surprisingly warm to the touch, as if some strange energy lingered within. Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she examined the shard, running her fingers over its smooth surface. What could it mean? What power did it still hold? With a shrug, she slipped it into her pocket. “Might be useful,” she whispered to herself, her mind already racing with the possibilities. After casting one last glance around the captivating forest, she headed back to the cave. Finally allowing herself a moment of rest, Rayna closed her eyes and let the white noise of the cave envelope her thoughts, lulling her peacefully to sleep.